Peter Grimes

NB The originally scheduled pre-opening performance on 23 January 2023, which was only available for those under the age of 28, has now been cancelled 'for artistic reasons'.

Simon will make his role debut as Captain Balstrode in Peter Grimes at the Opéra national de Paris in January 2023. This production, directed by Deborah Warner, was highly acclaimed when performed in Madrid and London in 2022.

Radio France Musique broadcast  Peter Grimes on 25 February 2023 as part of their 'Samedi à l'Opéra' series.

SOUNDBITES

"Simon Keenlyside tient le rôle du Captain Balstrode avec dynamisme, produisant une vraie performance théâtrale (même s’il délivre son effroyable conseil final à Grimes d’un air bien détaché), s’appuyant sur la vivacité de son phrasé....."

"Simon Keenlyside takes the role of Captain Balstrode with dynamism, producing a real theatrical performance (even if he delivers his terrible final advice to Grimes with a very detached air)...".

"Si la mise en scène est une telle réussite, c’est aussi grâce à la distribution qui joue le jeu avec des qualités théâtrales qui forcent l’admiration.....Simon Keenlyside campe un Balstrode solide..."

"If the staging is such a success, it is also thanks to the cast, which plays the game with theatrical qualities that command admiration....Simon Keenlyside portrays a solid Balstrode.... "

"L'opéra comme on le rêve : intelligent, subtil, sensible, beau et bouleversant....."

"Opera as one dreams of it: intelligent, subtle, sensitive, beautiful and moving...."

"Simon Keenlyside campe un formidable Captain, projetant son timbre de baryton avec une technique de jeu parfaite...."

"Simon Keenlyside portrays a formidable Captain, projecting his baritone timbre with perfect technique....."

"...on peut compter sur Simon Keenlyside pour honorer le rôle de Balstrode, crédible et fort habité. ..."

"...we can count on Simon Keenlyside to honour the role of Balstrode, credible and strongly portrayed..."

"..Simon Keenlyside made a vivid Bulstrode. He was far less upright than usual with Keenlyside bringing a sense of vivid character to his portrayal, a member of the community who simply has a liveliness of mind. He remained sympathetic and his final, spoken words to Clayton's Grimes were profoundly moving.....

"..The one man among the opera’s villagers who felt and understood the primal meaning of oceans was the sea captain Balstrode. It was he who tells Grimes to disappear into the sea. This role, played in Paris by English baritone Simon Keenlyside (perfectly embodying the well-intentioned liberal activist — from my American perspective), triggered the very powerful moment of catharsis that Britten — and director Warner — created. It was classical tragedy in its purest form..."

"...Simon Keenlyside Balstrode remarquable de simplicité et d’efficacité, dont le timbre n’a rien perdu de sa beauté et de sa richesse...."

"...Simon Keenlyside's Balstrode is remarkable for its simplicity and efficiency. The timbre of his voice has lost none of its beauty and richness...."

"..Simon Keenlyside as Captain Balstrode has all the qualities that one would expect from him: an eye-pleasing, compelling actor, he is a great singer with much projection and artistic capacity. His voice seems in as good a shape as it always is. He manages to make the captain seem a source of sanity and carefulness even when under pressure from the whole city...."

"...Encore plus haut, le Balstrode de Simon Keenlyside est d’une présence vocale et physique qui fait communion avec le spectateur en témoin impuissant du drame...."

"...On an even higher level, Simon Keenlyside's Balstrode has a vocal and physical presence which forms a fellowship with the spectator as a helpless witness to the drama..."

"..Simon Keenlyside, the new Balstrode, could hardly have been more ideally cast, avuncular, yet stern and decisive when advising Grimes to sink his boat in the penultimate scene...."

(Translations from reviews in French by Google)